A woman who made bombshell allegations against Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner claimed on Monday that he "absolutely" raped her in an interview with CNN.
CNN's Jake Tapper noted that Jenny Racicot had not used the word "rape" when telling her story and asked whether she believed Platner had raped her, to which she said that "By definition? Yes, absolutely."
Racicot's detailed allegations were first reported by Politico on Monday. She told that outlet over the course of three interviews that Platner forced her to have sex with him against her will in 2021. Platner has vehemently denied the allegations. Racicot told Politico that Platner was "almost blackout drunk" when the incident took place.
Racicot also told Tapper that she decided to come forward because she felt that "there are a lot of men in this world relying on the silence of women to be where they are, and I don't want to contribute to that."
When Tapper pressed her on the potential blowback from Platner supporters who claim that she was motivated by politics, Racicot said she "couldn't disagree more" with them and that she wrestled with a "huge moral conflict" because she agrees with Platner politically.
"I really agree with his politics. I think we need somebody with those political stances and who are willing to do the work," she said. "I see his political videos. They get me fired up as well. I understand why people want someone like him in office, and I felt like me coming forward would essentially, potentially take that away."
Despite her allegations, Racicot said she would not necessarily tell people not to vote for Platner.
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Racicot's detailed allegations were first reported by Politico on Monday. She told that outlet over the course of three interviews that Platner forced her to have sex with him against her will in 2021. Platner has vehemently denied the allegations. Racicot told Politico that Platner was "almost blackout drunk" when the incident took place.
"I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," Racicot told Politico. "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, 'This is no longer my choice.'"
When describing the situation to Tapper, Racicot said that during the incident, Platner had moments where he would apologize before going back to "doing what he was doing."
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Platner's campaign released a video after the allegations were published, which the candidate described as "troubling, serious and false."
"Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false," Platner said in the video. He went on to speak about his experiences on the campaign trail before saying that in light of the "inaccuracy of the reporting" his team was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward."
Following Politico's reporting, several Democrats rescinded their endorsements of Platner and some called on him to drop out of the Senate race. The Maine Democratic Party issued a statement urging him to withdraw from the race.
Platner's campaign has faced multiple controversies, including scrutiny over a tattoo on his chest depicting a Nazi symbol known as a "Totenkopf."
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In June, the New York Times published an article with allegations against Platner made by women who dated him in the past, including Racicot. While Racicot spoke with the Times about her relationship with Platner, she did not go into detail about the 2021 incident.
"Racicot also said that in 2021 he arrived at her house drunk, after she had asked him not to come over. She declined to elaborate, but said she cut off contact soon after that episode and found his behavior 'reckless' and 'unsettling,'" the Times reported last month.
Fox News Digital reached out to Platner's campaign for comment.
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